The eye of storm Ophelia is currently on the west coast Dingle peninsula in Ireland with circling winds of 55 km/h to 100 km/h.

Winds sweeping up the west coast of the UK along Plymouth, Swansea, and Bangor are measuring between 55 km/h and 70 km/h.

The worst of the 70 km/h to 100 km/h winds will batter the west coast including the coast of Cornwall, Wales, The Isle of Man, and west coast of Scotland this afternoon and into the night.

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Northern Ireland is set to be hit by over 35 km/h winds all day today, until it accelerates this afternoon to nearly 55km/h winds, with a likelihood of gusts of around 70 km/h hitting the Belfast coast at 4pm.

Winds of over 70 km/h will blow up from the North Atlantic Ocean, across St George’s Channel and over the Irish Sea throughout the day and into the night, with winds on the water dying down by Tuesday morning.

Northern Ireland will be consumed by 40 km/h to 50km/h winds from 6pm this evening.

Scotland will feel the force of Storm Ophelia in the early hours of Tuesday morning with winds of 20 km/h to 55 km/h.

Yellow weather warning has been put in place along the west coast of England, Scotland and Wales (Picture: PA)

Winds of 78 km/h have been measured in the Isles of Scilly in Hugh Town today at 11am.

Exeter International Airport has recorded wind speeds of 43 km/h with wind speeds in Bangor currently measuring 39km/h.

At 1am tonight the eye of the storm will be directly over the Isle of Eigg off the cost of the Scottish Highlands, hitting Inverness on Tuesday morning at 6am with wind speeds of between 20 km/h and 35 km/h.

Irish Met Eireann forecaster Evelyn Cusack at a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination group in preparation for Storm Ophelia (Picture: PA Wire)

Ophelia originated in the Atlantic on October 9 and now menaces the population of Northern Ireland as the Met Office have issued an amber weather warning for the region because of ‘potential danger to life.’

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Schools across Northern Ireland have been advised to close, and college classes have been suspended.

A red weather warning across Ireland has meant all schools and universities will remain closed for the day with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar advising citizens to stay safe and to refrain from making unnecessary journeys.

Public safety is our key concern today. Advice is to stay at home, no unnecessary travel or other outdoor activities. Further updates later.